THE PROCTOR gamble paid a spectacular dividend for Howard Wilkinson as Sunderland's famine ended at the Stadium of Light with an historic victory over Liverpool.

After more than eight-and-a-half hours without a goal - 514 minutes to be precise - midfielder Gavin McCann marked his 100th League appearance for Sunderland with his first Premiership strike this season.

But the former England international went from hero to villain as he failed to convert a controversial penalty which would have doubled his side's lead.

Milan Baros' seventh goal of the season brought Liverpool level and it was only due to a string of stupdenous saves from Sunderland goalkeeper Jurgen Macho that the visitors were unable to halt their own alarming slide.

And it needed an inspired late substitution from Wilkinson to seal relegation-threatened Sunderland's first win over Liverpool on Wearside for 44 years.

Fittingly, it was a local lad - 20-year-old Michael Proctor - who struck the decisive goal that also ended a run of four successive defeats for the Black Cats in all competitions.

Front-runner Proctor was scoring freely for First Division Bradford City before Wilkinson recalled him from a loan spell early last month.

But this was his first senior goal for his home-town club and he will do well to ever score another of greater importance.

Proctor had been on the field only five minutes as an 80th-minute replacement for skipper Michael Gray when Kevin Phillips' square ball ricocheted to the youngster, who miskicked before making the most of a second bite at the cherry to rifle right-footed into the far corner of Chris Kirkland's net.

The giant Liverpool keeper had foiled McCann on the hour after referee Mark Halsey harshly adjudged that Jamie Carragher handled Phillips' header.

It was clear to all, apart from the Lancashire official, that the ball had hit Carragher full in the face.

The right-back was booked for his protestations, but Kirkland sprang to his left to turn McCann's spot-kick away one-handed.

McCann had answered Sunderland's prayers for a goal in the 36th minute when he beat Steven Gerrard to the ball to find Tore Andre Flo before taking a return pass and lifting a delightful finish beyond Kirkland.

But it was Carragher who set up Baros for the equaliser in the 68th minute. The offside flag stayed down and the Czech striker stroked past Macho, who hitherto had reprised his heroics in the sides' 0-0 draw at Anfield four weeks earlier.

The North-East is a cold and forbidding place for Liverpool these days. Their unbeaten 12-match Premiership start this term ended at Middlesbrough last month.

And now, having since picked up only one point from a possible 18, they are suffering their worst run for 19 years.

Sunderland, who failed to register a single shot at Anfield last month, managed three within the opening quarter of an hour yesterday.

First Gray and then McCann unleashed a couple of wild slashes before Kevin Kilbane caused genuine alarm in the Liverpool defence.

Flo released Phillips in the inside-right channel and when the goal-starved frontman pulled the ball across, Kilbane met it first time with a left-foot drive from the edge of the area that dipped narrowly wide.

Phillips and Flo showed good understanding again after 22 minutes. The visiting rearguard were stretched as Phillips sent Flo clear down the right, and when the Norwegian checked, he then found Phillips whose shot flew wide of the far post.

Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy was punished for an act of petulance near the half-hour mark when he threw the ball at former Anfield defender Phil Babb, Mr Halsey administering a lecture before producing a yellow card.

The incessant rain ensured conditions were difficult, but spirited Sunderland made all the early running.

And, after Michael Owen had escaped on the Sunderland right to force a smart save from Macho, the Wearsiders were rewarded when McCann ended the long wait.

Phillips was close to a second moments later when he fired wide, before Macho came to his side's rescue either side of the interval with four key saves - three of them of the highest order.

His stop from Vladimir Smicer four minutes from half-time was important without being impressive.

But a tremendous trio of saves followed, starting with a vital 43rd-minute touch which denied Baros from point-blank range after the striker had bisected the home defence.

Just three minutes after the break, Baros was frustrated again when he latched on to Owen's knockdown to bring a brilliant one-handed save from Macho, who was at full stretch to turn the ball round the post.

Baros was in the thick of things as he was then upended by Paul Thirlwell on the edge of the area, and from the resultant free-kick, Macho was fully extended as he tipped Murphy's curling effort over the bar.

A fine run and cross by Baros then set up Murphy, but his drive travelled wide.

It appeared only a matter of time before Liverpool scored, but their momentum was rudely interrupted with the penalty award.

However, having ultimately survived, they soon recovered their composure and no-one could say they didn't deserve their goal when it finally arrived.

Within two minutes of Baros' strike, Owen took a return ball from Murphy only for Macho to smother his finish.

Babb got plenty on his header from a right-wing Kilbane corner, but Kirkland reacted sharply to save.

When play then switched again to the other end, Macho was rooted to the spot as Baros' drive flashed agonisingly wide.

But Macho made another fine save to deny Owen and his defiance brought its reward with Proctor's dramatic winner.

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